Arable News

Britain’s annual pea harvest takes place each year from June – August, marking the busiest part of the season for the UK pea industry. Great British Pea Week (6th – 12th July 2020), now in its fifth year, celebrates the UK pea season and champions the industry that works around the clock each summer to deliver frozen peas to the nation.

The UK planted area for potatoes has held up despite a turbulent season for growers, according to the AHDB.

Sustainable farming organisation LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) has recently welcomed two new demonstration farms, recognising them as centres of excellence for sustainable farming.

Breeders Limagrain UK have run a short and fun online quiz to find out what British farmers really know about their wheat markets and varieties.

After a challenging season for arable farmers, the window before harvest is an opportunity to check and map the black-grass situation to plan for the months ahead.

Experts are investigating ways to create new foods and related products from alternative crops to maximise the use of locally produced food and drink. 

With the exceptionally dry spring likely to have a knock-on effect on forage supplies, harvesting cereals originally drilled for grain as wholecrop in the coming weeks could help ease future shortages.

As exceptionally dry weather has meant poor early grass growth in many parts, forage supply may not meet demand for grazing cattle and sheep.

The UK faces a shortage of fruit and vegetables under a no-Brexit scenario unless new markets are found soon, experts at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) have warned.

New to the Recommended List in 2019, KWS Firefly is the UK’s highest yielding Group 3 milling wheat at 102% of controls.

Spot-treating large perennial weeds such as brambles, gorse and broom in summer will catch them at the right time before they start dying back for winter, giving the best results according to Dr Nicola Perry, weed biology specialist for Corteva Agriscience.

Livestock farmers who normally grow winter wheat as a feed crop for their cattle – but have different cereals in the ground this year – are being urged to consider post-harvest alkalisation to boost nutrient value.